On the national level, property values continue to rise. Indeed, homes in half the country’s metro areas gained more than $10,000 in value within a year. What’s more, there’s a severe scarcity of property in the starter home category.

The statistics come from Zillow, which tracks housing markets throughout the country.

“We’re in the midst of an inventory crisis that shows no signs of waning -- impacting potential buyers all across the country,” says Svenja Gudell, Zillow’s chief economist.

With too many buyers chasing too few available properties, is overconfidence justified on the part of home sellers? Not at all, real estate experts say.

“In every city and every neighborhood, there are always sellers who either can’t get their house sold or who are getting only weak offers,” says Eric Tyson, a consumer advocate and co-author of “House Selling for Dummies.”

Despite inventory shortages, most buyers retain high standards and find it tough to picture themselves living in a house with peeling paint, cluttered rooms or mold-ridden bathrooms.

At a time when sellers are riding high, is it worth it to plunge precious savings into a home just to make it more aesthetically appealing to buyers? Yes, says Dorcas Helfant, the broker-owner of several realty offices.

“For a relatively small sum -- usually under $10,000 -- and a little hard work, sellers can often transform a ho-hum place into a much more likable one. Usually, the return on investment is well worth it,” says Helfant, a former president of the National Association of Realtors (nar.realtor).

Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Bring class to your property with interior moldings.

There’s a reason homebuilders make extensive use of decorative interior trim work, such as crown moldings, chair railings and wainscoting. That’s because these embellishments give a home a finished quality that usually exceeds the cost of the work, says Sid Davis, author of “Home Makeovers That Sell.”

“For a few thousand dollars, (homeowners) can get a lot of quality woodwork done,” Davis says.

Davis tells a true story to illustrate the appeal of well-crafted interior trim. He recalls handling two listings for 1950s-era cottages with nearly identical floor plans and price tags. But one had extensive moldings and the other had none.

“A couple in their 20s had been scouring the neighborhood for the perfect starter home. After looking at the two cottages, they immediately picked the one with the moldings," Davis says.

-- Freshen the paint in more rooms.

Replacing bright or unusual colors with neutral shades is standard practice when prepping a home for sale. But to put your place in superior showing condition, further painting could be warranted. For example, Davis strongly recommends you get a first-class paint job on your front door, the most visible surface of your property. Also, have a painter freshen any walls or rooms that need touchups due to wear.

“To give your place a finished quality means every single ding must be filled in, sanded and redone. Search all your high traffic areas for imperfections,” says Davis, adding that professional painting shouldn’t cost more than $200 to $600 per room.

“Remember to ask your contractors to paint your moldings in a light, contrasting tone, such as glossy white, so they’ll pop out and look sensational,” he says.

As a finishing touch to add luster, replace all the hardware on your kitchen and bathroom cabinets, a step that should cost no more than $150.

-- Do an intensive cleaning in your property.

Often when Davis tells clients to make their property immaculate, they respond with puzzled stares.

If you’re unclear what it means to make your house exceptionally clean, Davis recommends you pick up a book on the topic. One reference volume he likes is “Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook.”

Though books can provide guidance, the best way for most sellers to achieve a lofty level of cleanliness is to hire a professional cleaning company -- one you find through referrals from your listing agent, neighbors or colleagues at work.

“Give the company a complete checklist of everything you need done. Be sure this includes meticulous cleaning of all your chandeliers and light fixtures, as well as deep scouring of bathroom and kitchen tile to remove all the mildew. This whole job should cost no more than $200 to $400, depending on the condition and size of your place," Davis says.

-- Remember the sparkle that comes with clean windows.

Chances are your cleaning crew won’t tackle one piece of work crucial to the look of your home: a thorough window cleaning.

“It’s amazing how well a house can look when the windows are crystal clear inside and out. People see the difference when they first drive up,” Davis says.

The cost of a professional cleaning is typically less than $200, though this depends on local labor costs and the number of windows involved.

-- Keep your home on the market while improving it.

As Davis says, some owners become so discouraged they remove their home from the market because it’s gone unsold for longer than they’d like.

But if your home is correctly priced and is still receiving showings, you still have a good shot at selling it soon, especially if you’re willing to spend the money to do a cosmetic makeover.

“Get all the cleaning, painting and trim work done quickly," Davis says. "Pick the weekdays when visitors rarely come through -- Tuesday through Thursday. Then don’t be surprised if you start seeing greater buyer interest by the time the weekend rolls around.”

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

After the financial crisis, homes were on the market at a deep discount, and potential buyers were scared property values would drop further. Now the situation has flipped, and starter home buyers fret that escalating prices mean they’ll never obtain a home.

“Housing inventories are still tight as a drum in the starter-home segment,” says Sid Davis, a veteran real estate broker and author of “A Survival Guide for Buying a Home.”

Will 2018 prove a more favorable time for first-timers? Will inventories swell? Will mortgage rates ascend from their near-historic lows? As Davis underscores, no economist can predict the future with certainty. That’s why he and many other real estate specialists urge would-be buyers not to postpone their quest for homeownership.

Svenja Gudell, chief economist for Zillow, which tracks real estate markets throughout the country, says saving for a down payment is a moving target for novice buyers in many communities.

“Sky-high rents and rising home prices are putting first-time buyers in a bit of a catch-22,” Gudell says.

In many metro areas, it now costs nearly as much to rent an apartment as to buy a reasonably sized condo, townhouse or detached property. That’s increased incentives for homeownership, despite the intense competition over scarce listings.

Real estate specialists say a well-planned approach to homeownership helps calm the anxieties of many novices. Here are a few common buyer fears and how to surmount them:

-- Fear of exposing your credit history to a mortgage lender.

Davis says many would-be homeowners worry how their credit histories will be viewed by mortgage lenders. But he says most such anxieties are usually baseless, even during the present period, when lending standards remain stringent.

Mortgage pre-approval -- which lets buyers assess their borrowing capability before they head out to shop for a property -- is now easily obtained over the phone. Even so, Davis says some first-timers prefer to go to the lender’s office for pre-approval.

Also, to ensure they’re being quoted a competitive rate for their mortgage, he encourages all buyers to shop lenders before submitting a formal loan application.

“One superb way to find a good mortgage is to go to a small community bank or a credit union. They might give you a better deal than a large bank,” Davis says.

-- Worry that your family will judge your home choice harshly.

On financial matters, many young first-time homebuyers still look to parents for guidance. But sometimes, the involvement of elders can backfire.

“It’s not unusual for the intervention of parents to blow up a deal for their kids,” Davis says.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with seeking help from your parents. But he says it’s wise to involve them early on -- not after you’ve picked out the property and are about to seal the purchase.

“(Parents) tend to highlight the shortcomings of a property the kids like. And this can scotch a deal,” Davis says.

If you’re afraid to go forward without your parents’ help, he suggests you bring them along on your initial house-hunting trips. That way they can compare various alternatives and will likely give you more objective advice.

But Davis cautions young buyers against giving parents a veto over their final property selection, even if they’re helping fund the down payment.

“One approach is to involve parents in your early home shopping trips but then gracefully preclude them from the final decision making-process,” he says.

-- Fear of making a huge error.

Davis says many wannabe homebuyers become risk averse -- worrying they’ll select the wrong property. And such fears are understandable in the aftermath of the housing crisis.

“New buyers often feel they’re walking through a swamp of unknowns. But a lot of their anxieties are needless,” Davis says.

He says it’s not uncommon for young buyers seeking emotional safety to keep researching the market rather than make a decision. But in areas where sellers have the upper hand, buyers can forfeit the chance to buy a home they love simply by obsessing too long over the details.

Davis says the best remedy for home-selection anxiety is solid information. Work with an agent who can accurately advise on the true market value of any property you’re considering, thereby reducing your chances of overpaying.

“It’s a good thing for young buyers to get a lot of hand-holding from a reputable agent, ideally one who enjoys helping first-timers,” Davis says.

-- Fear of lacking enough funds to reach the finish line.

Of course, it can be costly to make a housing change at any stage of your life. But Davis says many longtime renters overestimate how much cash they need to become owners.

Granted, low-down-payment conventional mortgages remain harder to obtain than they were before the last recession. But buyers can still get into a first property for little or no down through programs offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (va.gov) or the Federal Housing Administration (hud.gov). Also, many state and local governments continue to provide first-time buyer assistance programs.

“Finding a really sharp Sherpa from the mortgage field can help you climb into homeownership,” Davis says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

Across America, first marriages are on the decline. But oddly, remarriages are increasing, according to the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank. More than 60 percent of previously married men tie the knot again -- and more than half of women.

A second marriage often comes with an extra abode, raising the tricky question of where the couple should live. Should they reside in her place or his? Or should they sell both and buy a third, neutral space in another community where neither has roots?

“The question of domicile is extremely sensitive and must be handled carefully,” says Dorcas Helfant, a real estate broker and past president of the National Association of Realtors.

Take the true story of a lawyer married to an association executive. At the time of their divorces, both had been living modest suburban lives. After they wed, they had many heated discussions on where to live jointly. Ultimately, they sold both houses and moved to a downtown condo with lots of contemporary features and luxury amenities.

“Sometimes it takes lots of arguing for a couple to reach consensus. But if you end up buying a house together, you’re likely to enjoy an exciting new beginning for your relationship,” Helfant says.

On the other hand, the best choice for a couple could be to pick the better located of the two properties.

“Compromise isn’t a dirty word when it comes to marital housing choices,” Helfant says.

There’s no one right answer for people who acquire a second home through marriage, says Jo Snyder-Ritter, a real estate broker since 1977. Nor is there one right answer for those who inherit a place and must decide whether to move to that property, rent it out or sell it.

For instance, suppose you and your siblings have inherited the family home where you were raised. If none of you wish to live there, you could decide to sell the property and split the proceeds in accord with your parents’ wishes. But if one of you has the desire and means to buy the others out, that could be the better option.

“However you acquire an extra home, you must decide what’s best for you,” says Snyder-Ritter, who’s affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists.

She tells the true story of one of her clients, an engineer and an only child who inherited his mother’s ranch-style property. He and his wife, the parents of two young children, decided to move to his mother’s home because it was larger and better located than the place where they’d been living.

“Changing houses let them step up to a prestige neighborhood with excellent schools for their kids. So, in this case, selling their old house and moving to the mom’s place was the right choice,” Snyder-Ritter says.

Here are a few pointers:

-- Ponder your retirement plans before locking in a housing decision.

James J. Casey, a certified financial planner, recommends that those who acquire an extra house through marriage or inheritance consider their options in light of a holistic financial plan, including their need for retirement savings.

If the extra home you acquire is much larger than where you live now, he urges you to factor in higher utility costs before deciding to upsize.

Casey also discourages newly married couples from hanging onto an extra property for an extended period.

“Get down to one residence as soon as possible,” he says.

Would you like to work with a financial planner to formulate your housing plan? If so, Casey suggests you ask friends or relatives for names or contact a trusted accountant or attorney for referrals.

“People in these professions are very careful who they recommend,” Casey says.

-- Ask for advice from experienced real estate pros.

Once you’ve set your total housing budget -- factoring in the need for savings -- Casey says you should seek information on the market values of the properties you own, looking to real estate agents for counsel.

He recommends you meet with at least two to three agents, asking them about recent neighborhood sales and how much you could reasonably expect to make if you sell or rent your extra property.

As Casey says, a reputable agent shouldn’t press you to liquidate a house.

“When you meet with the agents, you’ll be able to tell who’s on top of their game and who’s just trying to push for a sale. You can discount the advice of anyone just pushing for a sale,” he says.

-- Don’t limit yourself to a single neighborhood.

Would a second marriage give you the option of moving to an entirely different area? If so, don’t automatically rule that out. Changing lifestyles can be a positive experience for those open to the experience.

“Many times, moving to a new area puts a positive spin on a couple’s life,” Helfant says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)